EXPLORATIONS and BAQUEANOS (guides) OF THE LODGE - in their own
words:
We call
Exploration to the outings, daily suggested to guests, to the interior of the island and
natural environment. They can be adjusted to weather conditions as well as guests’
physique condition.
Our
Explorations in Victoria Island are made for visitors to have a pleasant, unique and
personal experience. With that purpose we carefully draw a series of circuits that, little
by little, discover the island nature; always preserving the e nature reserve inside the
National Park. We have bilingual ‘Baqueanos’, experts in open air activities and
a wide infrastructure for support and services (including: horses, boats, bicycles,
motorboats, etc)
The different
means of transport make each Exploration to vary as regards time, circuit and goals.
Before each outing, the Baqueano ask for the preferences, apart from the possibilities of
each guest, in order to advise them about the most appropriate transport for each outing.
Every
Exploration discovers the history and most remote places of Victoria Island, with thematic
content about: fauna and flora, aborigines that inhabited the island and the most
beautiful sightseeing.
Victoria
Island Explorations have a very special characteristic: guests are permanently walking
inside Nahuel Huapi National Park. We are all the time moving around this territory and
guests, guides and National Park Rangers are part of its care.
We want guests
to be in contact with their deepest feelings and have new experiences.
The working
group that draws the explorations is formed by Baqueanos of the Lodge.
Why a
Baqueano?
Our Baqueanos
are trained to discover real possibilities, to do the Explorations of each guest. They
know the area and its history very well and are experts in different open air activities:
horse back riding, biking, rowing, trekking. They’ll be the natural hosts that
accompanied and orient each guest.
Description of some Explorations of Victoria Island.
1. - To the Northern
part of the Island:
From the Lodge (central part of the Island), we take the ‘camino de la costa’
and then all the way through ‘picada del medio’, this is deep inside the Island.
Then go on to Piedras Blancas Bay. The alternatives of this Exploration include the
combination of trekking, horse back and bike riding. This make possible for the
Exploration to last all day long including a rustic lunch. The way back to the Lodge is
done through the ‘camino de la costa’, to the south. It’s a 9km trip.
2.- Skirting
Anchorena’s Bay:
From the Lodge (central part of the Island), we take the costal path to ‘Aserradero
Viejo’, skirting the bay and then all the way through ‘picada del medio’,
up to the diversion that lead to ‘Antepuerto’s Bay’. The alternatives of
this Exploration are, trekking, horse back and bike riding, it includes the way back. Or
guests can go back to the Lodge’s Port in a kayak. Then the Exploration will last all
day – with rustic lunch included. This is a 3.5km’s trip.
3. - To the Southern
part of the Island:
From the Lodge (central part of the Island) to the South, through the path that takes to
Punta Sur covering 7.5km of attractions. This Exploration can be done on foot, by bike or
horse back riding, combining the way back through the lake. It last all day – with
rustic lunch included.
4. - To the North part
of the Island by the Pescado lagoon - Walking Exploration):
From the Lodge the costal path is taken, this path leads to ‘Aserradero Viejo’
skirting the bay with the same name. Then we go through ‘Picada del Medio’ to
the North in the middle of the island and its forest. Thus we walk through ‘Valle de
las exóticas’ (forest of introduced species), after 5km we find the Pescador lagoon.
There we can see rupestrian paintings on the stones. We keep on the trip through the same
path to Pto. Turbina. From there ‘Camino de la Costa’ is taken to reach the
starting point: the Lodge -7km-. Due to the extension of the Exploration, guests have the
possibility to get back to the Lodge in a support car.
The experience: to discover the inner and costal forest of
the island, enjoy its water mirrors and see rupestrian paintings.
Difficulty: mid / high
Duration: all day
Km.: 16.-
5. - Exploring the
Northern area - Horse back ride Exploration:
Leaving from the Lodge’s stable (central area), to the North up to ‘Camino de la
Costa’, then taking the path that goes behind ‘Cerro Bella Vista’; from
there we can’t see the lake. Through this path we get into the island seeing the
forest’s changes. After the ‘Picada del Medio’ that leads to the North we
keep on discovering the Island but this time we horse back ride until the road to
‘Pto. Turbina’ where we turn east and go to the lake again. That is the path
taken in the way back to the Lodge -7km-.
The experience: to discover the corners of the island
by its many walkways riding horses.
Difficulty: basic riding knowledge.
Duration: all day
Km: 17.-
Equipment: legwarmer, poncho, Patagonian hats, they are all given by the Lodge.
6- Rowing through Anchorena’s Bay:
We leave from ‘Playa del Toro’ (located at the bottom of the Lodge) with very
stable double kayaks; rowing through the lake, which has very calm waters, visiting its
inner bays, costs, beaches where we can rest, to its estuary where we can see the
immensity of the open lake. In our way back we can snorkel or swim ending with the
Exploration in ‘Playa del Toro’.
The experience: to know the inside of the bay, discovery
the contrast of its costs, explore sunken ships, among other things.
Difficulty: low.
Duration: 2 hs.
Equipment: neoprene suits and boots, life vest, face mask. Everything is given by the
Lodge.
7- ‘Dos costas’ circuit - Walking
Exploration:
Leaving from the Lodge (central area) to the south, going by the old dairy farm (nowadays
is the carpenter’s workshop of the Lodge), we pass by the stable and walk through a
path into the woods, where we’ll find an interesting combination of native and
introduced forest, up to Guerrero’s Bay - a beautiful beach overlooking the west and
where we’ll find very old trees. We go to the south, following the west coast, into a
Cohiue’s forest thus walking away from the lake to the middle of the island. In this
area we find the main road of the island and we take it to the central area. After walking
through the inner woods, we go east again to the west coast but this time Totoras’
Bay. We walk o n the beach and we end our Exploration at the Lodge’s gardens.
The experience: to know in the same trip the panoramic
views of the West coast and East of the island, as well as its costal, inner and exotic
woods, and the possible presence of typical fauna.
Difficulty: low.
Duration: 3 hs.
Km: 6.5
8- Walking around Totoras’ Bay - Walking
Exploration:
We leave from the Lodge to the East up to the path call ‘Jardín de las Piñas’,
and then to Totoras’ Bay. After some minutes downhill walking, we reach Totoras’
beach where we can discover the immensity of the landscape. Walking on the beach we find a
path that leads us to the deepest part of the woods. Thus, after a 1.30hs walking we
arrive to the Lodge’s park.
The experience: to know native and exotic trees introduced
from different parts of the world as well as watch the landscape.
Difficulty: low.
Duration: 1.30 hs.
Km: 2.5
9- Manzanito’s Peninsula - Walking
Exploration:
From the Lodge, we walk to ‘Playa del Toro’ up to a fir tree forest, then
through a walkway up to a stone beach, where we find the open lake. We go back to the
forest and keep on walking through a path that leads us over the island’s cliff to
Guerrero’s Bay. From that bay we go on trough another walkway into the island,
visiting its woods up to the central area and the Lodge.
The experience: to see cave paintings, walk on the beach
with its warm sand and water in summer, and know open lake beaches where we find trees
carved by the water and walk by the costal cliffs.
Difficulty: mid.
Duration: 2.30 hs.
Km: 3
10- Cerro Quemado - Walking Exploration:
We take south from the Lodge going by the old dairy farm (nowadays is the carpenter’s
workshop of the Lodge); we pass by the stable and walk through a path up to a walkway to
Totoras’ Bay. After that we take a diversion to a small path that goes up to the
hillside of Cerro Quemado. We walk uphill by the Eastern side, under native forest, up to
the viewpoint east oriented. After that we walk around the hill to the West until the
highest point of the island where we find beautiful views. We keep on walking south and
start to downhill in order to reach Puente de Tierra; from there we take the main walkway
to the central area.
The experience: panoramic views, to see the native fauna
and flora and enjoy it.
Difficulty: mid.
Duration: 3.30 hs.
Km: 5
11. - Pedalling around the island - Exploration by
bike:
Leaving from the Lodge we take the paths of the central area, then we go south by the road
call ‘Jardín de las Piñas’ so as to reach the way to the Southern point (punta
Sur). We keep on going to punta Sur up to Chacra Esperanza where we take another path that
leads to Guerrero’s bay through the costal forest, then to Manzanito’s Peninsula
up to its coasts. After that we keep on with the Exploration inside the peninsula’s
forest, up to ‘Playa del Toro’ from where we arrive to the Lodge’s beach
bar ending with the mountain bike Exploration.
The experience: to enjoy the ride through the island as
well as different kind of ground – soil, stone or sand. At the same time we can know
different parts of the island and its history.
Difficulty: low. Before the Exploration, a basic training on mountain bike riding will be
given.
Duration: 2 hs.
Km: 7.5
Equipment: mountain bike – state of the art Zenith Manta 2002. Helmets –
Cratoni.
12- Discovering the island’s horses:
It is an adventure to get into the equestrian world, with open gates for all those
visitors interested in horses, both with experience or not. Everything is valid when is
about shearing few days on the back of real ‘criollos’ horses. We see different
parts of the island; enjoy customs and experiences that are part of the equestrian world,
such as contact with animals, the stables, the Patagonian implements, our clothes, the
rural chats accompanied by the typical ‘mate’. You always are with a Baqueano
expert in the equestrian field; they will take care of everything all the time, so as for
the rider to only enjoy the equestrian life in a unique island.
Difficulty: low.
Equipment: baggy trousers or jeans, boots, shoes or snickers that can fit into the
stirrup, gloves-if it is cold-, coat.
Equipment given by the Lodge: hats, legwarmer, poncho.
Horses: 10 ‘criollos’ horses with typical implements and Andean saddle.
Suggested clothes for the Island
and the Lodge:
The natural framework of the Island is a combination of
Andean forest surrounded by sand beaches or cliffs. Te heights over the lake reach 300 m
and all along its 22 km you’ll find inner lagoons. In this scenery, Explorationist
need adequate clothes in order to enjoy, all the time, and the outings that varies
according to the year season.
Spring and summer:
Comfortable outdoor shirts, short and long sleeves. T-shirts. Cotton trousers or jeans,
short and long legs. Swimming suits. Warm clothes for the night and water-proof like coat.
Comfortable walking shoes, snickers and sandals. Socks. Hat, lip stick and sun filter.
Autumn and winter:
Warm outdoor shirts. Long sleeves T-shirts and polo-neck. Water-proof trousers. Trekking
shoes, snickers. Wool socks. Gloves. Winter under wear. Coats. For rainy day Exploration
we give you water-proof coats to make the outing more comfortable.
Inside the Lodge you can always wear comfortable sport
casual clothes.
